Jack M

Looks like we picked exactly the right week to be there... from www.sugarloaftoday.com (the unofficial site): "Get out your diamond stones or head to Happy Tunes folks because the boiler plate is back. With the recent warm temperatures and rain the surface has frozen into rock hard ice. I suggest no one goes out without good skis or boards with edges. Overall considering the weather, crowds and conditions, I would give today a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10. ... SKI PATROL SAYS....DANGEROUSLY ICY CONDITIONS EXIST EVERYWHERE, STAY OFF CLOSED TRAILS!"

Sorry, just responding to some of the thoughts expressed. I would not worry about having metal or not for a freecarving board. If Sean is confident in his Olympic construction, that's good enough for me. Sean is an engineer and has the science to back up his claims. My point about the slow-mo video was just that racers are going for super damp boards (and flimsy bindings) and the appropriate geometry to deal with race ruts - something we freecarvers rarely encounter. Edit: I agree with Sean's post above.

Download that Olympic PGS video and watch the slow-mo replays. You can see the nose of the metal boards bouncing off the race ruts, but the vibration doesn't seem to affect the rider. Under the feet, the board is quiet.

Then they're ripping people off. Bamboo is cheap. We looked at it for flooring in our house. Unless there's some crazy process necessary to use it. Which I doubt.

length: 180 radius: 14m waist: 18.5 or 19cm. oh look, that's the stock 180 GS. or if you like the width of your Priors, go 19.5cm. But I would think you'd be able to fit on an 18.5cm waist no prob with 25 mondos.

http://www.bomberonline.com/articles/TD2_setup.cfm

Madd's website says 11, 12, 16m for the 158, 170, 180. These are estimates. It's hard to say for sure because the curve is elliptical (I believe). You can't measure it using the usual 3-point method. I tried that on my 180 measuring at the ends and middle of the sidecut and came up with like 14m. I know that's wrong, the board turns longer than the 15m board I used to have. 16m sounds about right. Maybe even 17. If you measure it using 3 different points, you get a different number. Use another 3 points and you get yet another number. The new 158 I tried felt much longer than the 8.8m previously rumored, so 11m sounds reasonable.

http://www.bomberonline.com/articles/street_carvers.cfm

Nekdut, I am pretty confident the Madd I demo'd is newer than the blue boy with red sidewalls you've got there. Someone had a board that looked like yours, and the nose on the new board is noticibly thicker and stiffer. I should double check with Mike, I dont know if it was an '07 proto or an '06 production model. It had the golden-clear topsheet with the boy on it, and flourescent green sidewalls. Very pretty. QC has come a loooong way from '04.

I dont like short boards. But I love the new Madd 158. This is a completely different snowboard than the 158 I demo'd two years ago at the 2004 ECES. The 2004 board reaffirmed what I had felt about all short carving boards - they're nervous, unstable, demanding, and have to be ridden in their tiny sweet-spots at all times. Right? Wrong. Madd Mike approached me in the base lodge at Sugarloaf at the ECES and said he had been working to duplicate the famous original Madd 158 of the mid 90's, and that he was pretty sure he'd nailed it. He wanted me to try it, so I hesitantly agreed with skepticism. I've never ridden an original Madd 158. But I can't imagine any 158 riding any better than this. If the original was better, then any remaining examples should be immediately purchased for a hefty ransom by the Smithsonian. The Madds are now being made in varying stiffnesses. I demo'd the medium a.k.a. "f2" 158, and found it to be perfect for my 175 pounds. The nose of the board has been stiffened up considerably, and this is readily apparant on snow. Feedback from the nose is excellent - you know exactly what the edge is doing at all times, and exactly how much purchase it has in the hardpack. The stiffer nose radically improves the board's stability and versatility. The board will now carve larger and faster turns with total confidence that should be impossible for this length and sidecut. I could not believe I was having so much fun on a 158, and going as fast as I was with no sense of the board giving up. Gone is the precarious feeling of having to be perfectly poised over the board's sweet spot. This board lets you think about what you want to do, not what it wants to do. To call this board lively is an understatement. That's a good thing. Cranking out some short-GS turns, I was effortlessly launching off the ground in between each perfect C-shaped carve. Upon returning to earth, the board would instantly slice into the next carve as if it had never lost contact. At one point I had to stop on the slope and ask ErikJ if I looked as good riding this board as I felt. He said something about "dude, if you were a woman, we'd be off in the trees right now..." Umm, not that there's anything wrong with that. Hey Erik, you know how I know you're... never mind. Edge grip was flawless. No complaints, total confidence. Hip dragging on both sides. Only changes I would make would be to center the insert pattern on the sidecut. I like a centered stance. With the existing setback, I had to use the forward most inserts and the forward binding holes to get to what I thought was a centered stance from my quick measurements in the demo tent. Also the jury is still out on Madd's return to brass inserts. The softer metal is less forgiving about thread engagement, and will require careful mounting. The board just felt perfect. This is totally useless feedback for Madd, but what can I say, I have to have one. Mike, whatever you did to this board, for the love of god man, write it down. Dammit. This quiver thing is becoming a problem.

Tequila/Margarita party winding down, ErikJ raises hand and shouts "WHO'S GOT A BONER?" The place cleared out shortly thereafter. "This wax has lasted me 2 years!" - Kenneth (formerly of the softboots) "You know how I know you're gay? ...." (the rest unprintable) - Bordy "You know how I know you're gay? Your favorite color is Zylon!" - Shred Gruumer (I think) I'm sure there are more, but the after-hours parts of the week are rather hazy for me!

Paul rips: http://home.maine.rr.com/jjtd/ECES2006/target31.html and I think he was the only single carver to also do well "off piste" all week....

Especially considering they're Bob Jenney's boards.

No, the snapped Madd was Geoff's personal ride, and it had seen plenty of use. He was showboating in front of the demo tent, with Mike in clear view. It was spectacular. Snapped both rails clean in two. Never seen that before. I will be slathering praise on the new Madd I demo'd in another thread soon...

Jeff, Todd et al made the right decision. If they hadn't, Sugarloaf Security would have made it for them. It is Sugarloaf's policy not to allow demo tents in high winds.

wise-ass. was hoping to meet you Jeff, but you were a no-show. for the 3rd time.

http://home.maine.rr.com/jjtd/ECES2006/ Anyone else with pics.... email me! here's a taste:

grease the threads and the underside of the heads. silly rabbit.

or you could just get a Prior Metal. or a Coiler with Titanal. and the Donek Olympic construction is surely worth a test ride.

If you're on the list for these tickets (you know who you are), you will be able to pick up your tickets at the Guest Services desk in the lower level of the base lodge. They have your name. And yes, it is too late to get on this list. Sorry!

Thanks to Ken Delrossi for the design.

you know you want one! On sale all next week at the event!

http://www.eces.us/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=84#84

Anyone have access to one they can bring? LCD, DLP, anything we can connect a computer to.

I can put you in touch with a master bootfitter if you need these services while at the ECES: Boot fitting/adjustment (althought I'm not sure he has the machinery to stretch shells) Liner molding Footbeds/Orthotics